Letter to My Son – Happy 6th Birthday!

by Cate on August 2, 2008

When I look at him, it seems like forever ago that he was just a little baby, barely bigger than Madeline. But today that little baby turned six years old. It always amazes me how much Madeline changes month to month, and the same holds true for Nicholas year to year. He is such a different little boy than he was last year … alot can happen in twelve months.

This is a little boy …

… who actually lectured someone last week on their usage of paper plates. Not only that, he knew exactly why they shouldn’t be used. I love that beyond listening to me prattle on about something, he listens to the whys. Enough to retain it, absorb it and tell others, whether it be about recycling or any other random topic.

… who always gets complimented for his manners. Coming out of a store last week, he ran back to hold the door open for a woman coming out. I love that about him. When he is out with me and Maddie, he always lets me go first because I’m “carrying something heavier” (his sister!).

… who does chores without being asked. Whether it’s taking out the recycling or helping me around the house, he does it without question or hesitation, always happy to help.

… who loves rainbows, his dog Eli and SpongeBob Squarepants.

… who adores his sister and whenever they’re apart, he comes back looking for her, to give her a kiss, pat her head and ask her how she is.

… whose favorite color is blue and has a new fondness for the Yankees and beanbag chairs.

… who loves art, of any form or fashion, and is quite content with a stack of blank paper and a box full of crayons and markers.

… who, bias aside, is smart as a whip and has an elephant’s memory. This child forgets nothing.

… who started his morning today at 8 am, digging for worms in the backyard with two of his best friends. Why? Because he knows all about composting and how the whole process works, and wanted to be involved.

… who can still burst into tears when he gets teased, reminding me all too quickly that although he acts years older, he’s still just my baby.

I don’t think he (or we!) could have packed more into today to celebrate if we tried. He had two friends sleepover last night … how fun to wake up on your birthday with friends in a room filled with balloons! Do you know how hard it is to sneak 30 balloons into a room with three sleeping boys? A breakfast spread with family, playtime, dinner at a local restaurant that he picked and birthday cake to finish off the day.

We were talking the other day about what he wanted to do for dinner for his birthday, and he asked me, “What does Burger King have for dinner?” Although it certainly wouldn’t have been my choice, I told him the offerings and held my breath. Luckily for us, he went with something different, and, surprisingly, the same restaurant we were at two nights ago for my birthday.

Happy Birthday, Nicholas!

P.S. It seems only fitting that on the way to the restaurant tonight, the little boy who loves rainbows got to see a double rainbow in the sky … he was positively tickled. Truly a lucky day indeed.

Well, Happy Birthday to Nicholas! Growing up. I just finished looking at a box of pictures of my childhood and it’s funny watching myself get bigger. Nicholas will enjoy looking back and the things you’ve posted about him!